America's bills may be green but we can see the diversity
Huge news. Harriet Tubman, former slave and abolitionist, will grace the front of America's $20 bill. That's an incredible story of America right there. She's replacing, or at least demoting, seventh president and slave owner Andrew Jackson, who gets booted to the back of the bill. Don't get too excited yet, because we might not even be using cash by the time they get printed. Also worth noting: Martin Luther King Jr. and Marian Anderson are coming to the $5 bill, and Sojourner Truth will be among a group of women voting rights activists on the back of the $10 bill. YAY DIVERSITY. This is the first time women will be on U.S. paper currency in 100 years, which almost makes us want to carry cash. About the $10: Alexander Hamilton stays on the front. Chalk it up to "Hamilton"-mania. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew announced the changes Wednesday.
The Flint water crisis just became criminal
Three officials involved in the Flint, Mich., water crisis were charged Wednesday with official misconduct, evidence-tampering and other offenses. The charges are the first over Flint's poisoned water, which became contaminated with lead in April 2014 when the city tried to save money by switching its drinking water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River. The problem was it didn't use the right chemicals to treat the water, so for nearly 18 months, the poor, mostly black city of 100,000 used lead-contaminated water. Gov. Rick Snyder didn’t acknowledge the problem until last fall, when tests revealed high levels of lead in children, which can cause low IQs and behavioral problems.
Let's get real for a minute. What's next for Bernie Sanders?
Democrat Bernie Sanders got thwacked in Tuesday's New York primary. But his determination? Not so much. Sanders believes he can still win a majority of pledged delegates and then make the case to superdelegates — unpledged party leaders and elected officials who are free to support the candidate of their choice at the national convention — that he's better positioned than Hillary Clinton to take on the Republican nominee. Clinton, meanwhile, says the race is in the "homestretch." She might be right.
Whole Foods says the pastor is lying about that cake
The alleged gay slur that appeared on an openly gay pastor's cake wasn't Whole Foods' fault, and the Austin-based grocery chain is suing the pastor for defamation. Jordan Brown said he ordered a cake that says "Love Wins," but it came back with that and a slur. He shows video of the UPC label intact on the box. But Whole Foods released video of Brown checking out, which the company says shows the UPC label in a different position. Whole Foods also says it stands behind the accused bakery team member, who is part of the LGBT community.
The world’s largest reef system isn’t doing so hot
Graveyard or Great Barrier Reef? Warmer than usual oceanic temperatures are literally sucking the life out of the Great Barrier Reef. An expansive aerial and underwater survey shows that 93% of the Great Barrier Reef system has been ravaged by coral bleaching. Warm temperatures have forced stressed coral to expel algae that create the eye-popping coral reef colors you’re used to seeing. What’s left? Coral that looks like stark-white bones, rather than a scene from the Little Mermaid. While some areas are expected to regain their normal color when temperatures drop, other parts of the reef have already experienced significant mortality of bleached coral.
Extra Bites
- Though some of the strongest female characters on TV hail from HBO's "Game of Thrones," the fantasy series also received much criticism for its shocking portrayals of rape and violence against women. Hear why one USA TODAY writer still watches the hit series despite its tenuous relationship with misogyny and feminism. Hear from another on why she quit it.
- Eyebrows = raised. Kelly Ripa was absent from "Live With Kelly and Michael" the day after ABC announced it was moving Michael Strahan to "Good Morning America."
- This is why everyone is talking about that Snapchat Bob Marley filter.
This is a compilation of stories across USA TODAY.
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Contributing: Associated Press
